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Lighting up lives with gravity

GravityLight’s innovative lighting device is bringing clean, safe, affordable light to families without electricity. Shell is collaborating with this unique start-up to help change lives in Kenya and around the world.

Most of us are used to turning on lights with the flick of a switch. But in Kenya, 80% of people have no access to electricity and are dependent on dangerous kerosene lamps for light and cooking. Start-up GravityLight set out to tackle this by developing an affordable and safe light that can be powered with just a bag of rocks.

Title: Shell Better Energy Future Gravity Light Kenya

(Animated sequence) Open on a purple screen with a pink text box in the centre

(Text display) VO & super: How can a bag of rocks spark a Kenyan child’s imagination?

(Animated sequence) The box expands to include all the copy and an animation of a bag, a rock and a child’s face with a lightbulb on, connecting to the highlighted words.

(VO) In many parts of Kenya when nightfall comes, people’s only light source for reading or studying is a kerosene lamp, which is costly to run and risks exposure to toxic fumes and burns.

(Animated sequence) We see a Kenyan village with the Kenyan map & flag pulled out. It goes from day to night.

(Animated sequence) A child reads a book with only a kerosene lamp for light.

(Super) Kerosene lamp Costly to run Toxic fumes Burns

(VO) So Shell has helped bring the GravityLight to Kenya’s off grid homes.

(Animated sequence) A Kenyan village appears at night with the Shell logo pulled out.

(Animated sequence) We see a Gravity Light.

(Super) GravityLight

(VO) This ingenious lamp harnesses the energy created by a bag of rocks linked to a pulley system and a small dynamo

(Animated sequence) We see a GravityLight working with a visual of rocks appearing

(Super) Rocks Pulley System Small dynamo GravityLight full intensity

(VO) To provide precious minutes of reading light.

(Animated sequence) We see a child reading under a GravityLight

(VO) This safe, renewable light source is giving Kenyans, without access to electricity, a valuable opportunity to learn and improve their futures.

(Animated sequence) Children appear in a classroom, reading using GravityLight

(Super) Learn and improve their futures

(VO) It’s just one of the ways that Shell and GravityLight are helping to bring better energy to people.

(Animated sequence) We see a birds eye view

(Animated sequence) A globe with pulling out the UK, China, India, Kenya, Brazil, Germany, and the US

(End frame) #makethefuture Shell Pectan Shell mnemonic

The open flames and fumes of kerosene lamps can be dangerous, especially for the children using them for homework or to study. Buying kerosene canisters is also a costly expense for many families.

GravityLight set about creating light that is safer, cleaner and has no recurring costs. Its solution is a simple device using only the weight of a bag of rocks and the power of gravity to power its light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs.

In October 2016, Shell and GravityLight embarked on a 50-night tour through Kenya to bring its lights to off-grid communities around the country. The tour educated locals about the device, as well as gave Shell and GravityLight the opportunity to learn how people are using the light to help make a difference in their lives.

It might seem like a small solution. Yet it is one that could have a big impact.